Narrative:

At approximately 120 KTS, on the takeoff roll, had what appeared to be uncommanded right rudder input. Could not keep aircraft on runway centerline, so I elected to abort the takeoff. Once aircraft was stopped on the runway, we ran the rejected takeoff checklist. No injuries or damage to aircraft. Reported the apparent maintenance problem as required. Crew CRM between flight deck and cabin crew was good. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: crew was flying a B757-200 aircraft. The aircraft was extensively checked by maintenance. No problems could be found. The aircraft was then given a complete flight test. Again, no problems could be found. The flight recorder was removed and read. It showed an instantaneous loss of 26 KIAS and at the same time a right turn began. It showed no right rudder input, and only left rudder to counteract the right turn. The aircraft then had an instantaneous increase of 12 KIAS, when the abort sequence started. Pilot reported heavy aircraft were landing on runway 4R at the time. The company thinks the aircraft encountered the wake vortex of a landing aircraft, while on its takeoff roll, the FAA participated in the investigation and concurs with the conclusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 CREW ENCOUNTERED UNCTLABLE R TURN ON TKOF ROLL ON RWY 4L AT EWR.

Narrative: AT APPROX 120 KTS, ON THE TKOF ROLL, HAD WHAT APPEARED TO BE UNCOMMANDED R RUDDER INPUT. COULD NOT KEEP ACFT ON RWY CTRLINE, SO I ELECTED TO ABORT THE TKOF. ONCE ACFT WAS STOPPED ON THE RWY, WE RAN THE REJECTED TKOF CHKLIST. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO ACFT. RPTED THE APPARENT MAINT PROB AS REQUIRED. CREW CRM BTWN FLT DECK AND CABIN CREW WAS GOOD. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CREW WAS FLYING A B757-200 ACFT. THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY CHKED BY MAINT. NO PROBS COULD BE FOUND. THE ACFT WAS THEN GIVEN A COMPLETE FLT TEST. AGAIN, NO PROBS COULD BE FOUND. THE FLT RECORDER WAS REMOVED AND READ. IT SHOWED AN INSTANTANEOUS LOSS OF 26 KIAS AND AT THE SAME TIME A R TURN BEGAN. IT SHOWED NO R RUDDER INPUT, AND ONLY L RUDDER TO COUNTERACT THE R TURN. THE ACFT THEN HAD AN INSTANTANEOUS INCREASE OF 12 KIAS, WHEN THE ABORT SEQUENCE STARTED. PLT RPTED HVY ACFT WERE LNDG ON RWY 4R AT THE TIME. THE COMPANY THINKS THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED THE WAKE VORTEX OF A LNDG ACFT, WHILE ON ITS TKOF ROLL, THE FAA PARTICIPATED IN THE INVESTIGATION AND CONCURS WITH THE CONCLUSION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.